Summer Priorities
by Kitskune Miyake
Summary: "C'mon, it's one summer concert…" "Dick, I have two weeks before summer ends, and I've only just started reading the damn book." Why of course it's BirdFlash. Cross-posted on my Tumblr and DeviantArt. Pre-Invasion, I guess


It was honestly one of the greatest summers of Wally's life. It was a little over a year since the Team's inception, and he was already looking back and reminiscing. Their second summer had been eventful but successful; for once, they lived up to the _covert_ part of _covert ops_.

Even outside of superheroing, Wally's summer was fantastic. On the last day of school, he bolted to Gotham Academy to pick up his best friend and took him out for ice cream, and the two became joined at the hip. They hung out every day, whether at Mount Justice, Gotham, or Central City. Batman had been particularly loath of the speedster's presence in his city, and it was only on Dick's request that he didn't ban speedsters altogether

July had come and gone with a particularly explosive Fourth of July. The Team had come together to celebrate their formation with a full-out barbecue party on the beach, ending with a fantastic fireworks show for the city to see. The rest of the month was filled with missions and sleepovers at the Mountain—because Bruce outright refused to house a speedster in his mansion filled with antiques, family heirlooms, and other breakable objects. It was beautiful and awesome and _so _perfect.

August was fast approaching though, and the Wally was suddenly faced with a new enemy: summer coursework.

_July 26, Mount Justice 13:06_

"Hey, Walls, I've got tickets to that concert down by the—"

"Not now, Rob," Wally interjected, not looking up from a particularly dull-looking book. He was sprawled across the couch, butt in the air and head against the floor. "Gotta read up on…" He flipped to the title page, as if he didn't know what he was looking at, which was probably the case. "…Uh, the _Mayflower_ and stuff."

Dick frowned and looked around the empty cave from behind his sunglasses. "Dude, you can't just blow this off. The whole rest of the Team got tickets too. Megs was so excited earlier before you showed up. Dude, even _Artemis_—"

Wally shifted so his stomach was against the forest green cushions and his chin rested on the sofa arm. "Look, I have this and a Pre-Cal packet to get started on, so don't try to guilt me into this." Wally said from behind the book.

"C'mon, it's one summer concert…" Dick drawled enticingly.

"Dick, I have two weeks before summer ends, and I've only _just_ started reading the damn book."

Dick let out a loud sigh. "You had all summer to do that. What the heck were you doing?"

"Seeing you," Wally stated factually. "You didn't seem to mind then."

"Because I thought all your work was done, or that you did it whenever I wasn't with you." Dick ambled from the zeta beam entrance to the couch. "You seriously need to learn how to prioritize."

"I did! You are my priority because you're my best friend!"

"The sentiment is sweet and all, but that's not going to get the work done." He dropped to the floor and pulled the coffee table to him. "Where's that Pre-Cal? Might be good to do a few exercises before going back to the mathletes." Wally tilted his head towards the green backpack on the floor. After shuffling through the bag, Dick pulled out a bunch of papers and a notebook. Flipping to the first clean page—which was further in the notebook than it should have been—he started on the first page of questions.

_Ugh, this guy_ Dick thought to himself. _We should be soaking up the last bits of summer. Not doing math homework. _Before Wally could finish the chapter he was reading, Dick was through the first row of problems. "Geez, maybe you should just do the math and I'll speed read and summarize."

Wally looked over at his friend and grinned. "Dude, have I ever told you how awesome you are?" He twisted so he lay on his back. Dick leaned over and bopped him on the head.

"Only every time I save your sorry butt," he teased lightly. He continued working the practice problems, settling into the same rhythm he fell into at the Mathlete Club. He lost track of time as he fell into the mindless lull of doing homework, and when he next looked over at his friend, Wally was fast asleep. "That idiot," he grumbled. "Everything I do for him, and he falls asleep on me." He nearly got up and went to catch the tail-end of the concert, when Wally let out a little whine, similar to a puppy. Dick stopped, turning back to stare at the ridiculous face of his friend.

The redhead had shifted, his cheek smooshing against the rest of the face in a childish manner. His hair, a little longer than usual, flopped over his forehead messily. It was utterly juvenile yet absolutely adorable and _wait, did I just say Wally was adorable what the heck!? _Even though nobody was around, Dick shook his head as if to clear it. He turned away and went back to working on the math homework.

It was only a matter of minutes before he finished. Giving it a once-over and erasing any stray marks, he tore it out of the notebook, careful to follow the perforations. He stapled the sheets together and laid it on the table. Finally done, Dick got up, ready to leave, when he heard a dull thump. He turned around and saw that Wally had turned over again. The book had slid from his loose grip to the floor.

Dick made an exasperated noise. Wally snored in response. He had half a mind to walk over and push the redhead to the floor, but decided against it. He walked back over and picked up the book. As he did, a piece of paper fluttered out from between the pages. Dick picked it up and unfolded it, transferring the book to his left hand.

The first thing that caught his eyes was the doodles along the borders. Obviously, Wally wouldn't invest in a bookmark, choosing instead to fold some doodle-cluttered homework as a placeholder. Dick smiled at the Flash logos in the corners. The paper had once been an English assignment, but Wally had taken to it with a red pen, rewriting his answers with trademark sarcasm and a hint of offensiveness. He flipped it over, expecting more penis doodles and stick figure battles on the back. Instead, he saw words, but every line he wrote was crossed out like a scrapped idea.

_I don't know how to say this_

_We've known each other for years now_

_Robin, I think I might be_

_Remember all those times I hit on M'gann and Arty? They meant_

_Dick, I think I might_

_There's no easy way to say this, but_

_I love you so much it hurts._

The last one was a punch in the gut. Dick dropped the book in surprise, and then fumbled to catch it. It slipped through his fingertips, smacking Wally in the face. He started, green eyes flying open at the hit.

"OW!" He cried out. "You jerk what was that—" He saw Dick clutching the paper, his outdated assignment facing him. The recognition was instant, and all traces of sleepiness disappeared from his self. Dick stepped back a little as Wally swung himself upright. "Dick, I—those words don't mean anything. I mean, I was just, I—"

"Stop lying and explain." Wally averted his eyes, unable to look at Dick's lead-lined sunglasses. They blocked the majority of his face, but he could imagine the hatred in those blue eyes. _The eyes he loved so dearly_… "Dude, I'm not mad. Just, explain."

Wally shifted uncomfortably, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "It's just… Iwassosureyou'dhateme, andI'dratheryoudon'tknowandIkeeponlikethisthany ouhateme. Pleasedon'thateme! Ibetyouaren'tevengaysoIdidn'tsayanythingcuzIdidn'twanttocreepyououtand —" He stopped in surprise as a pair of skinny arms wrapped around his waist.

"Idiot." His voice was muffled by Wally's shirt. "You're stupider than I thought if you thought I'd hate you for this."

Wally's eyes widened in surprise. "So, you aren't like…freaked out or anything?"

"Dude, I'm just mad that you wouldn't tell me." _Besides, I've suspected it since the start of summer, but he doesn't need to know that_… Wally buried his face into Dick's hair, taking in the scent of the outdoors from the boy's head. They stood still, soaking in each other's presence before Dick finally said, "Isn't this the part where you ask me out?"

Wally lifted his head from Dick's hair, separating their two bodies._ I'm dreaming, aren't I? _"But…but I thought you were—"

"I dunno, maybe for you I wouldn't be," he teased, seductively laying a finger on Wally's nose. His jaw dropped

The redhead was taken aback at the forwardness, but he cleared his throat. _Please don't wake up. _"Okay, uh, Dick, would you go on a date with me. I hear that there's a summer concert." He smiled his best flirty smiled. Dick smiled back, but it was that horrible tricky smile. The smile he gave criminals when he played them.

"Don't you have summer reading to finish? Business before pleasure."

"Dammit!"


End file.
